How to Create Press Releases that the Media Will Love

Press releases
are one of the very best ways to publicize your business that cost you nothing
(if you write them yourself) but your time. A press release
is basically written as if you are a reporter writing about you. Write from the
perspective of a reporter doing an interview.

You want to
explain the "5 W's":

- Who
- What
- Where
- When
- Why

Press Release Dos and Don'ts

DO:

• Use a press
release to announce a new business opening, a business expansion, new owners,
new location, participation in a special out of town trade show, winning an
award, sponsoring a charity event, an owner or employee achieving excellence in
work or outside interest (e.g. sports) or anything else makes your company (or
an individual within the company) stand out.

• Send them
frequently ­ once a month is great (you'll begin to be known as an expert in
your field, and the media will begin to call YOU when a story comes up that is
relevant to your field and they want a comment).

• Include
quotes from you or others (to add interest and credibility) within the press
release.

• Have someone
proof read them for you ­ make sure the grammar is good and there are no
spelling mistakes.

• Keep them to
one page if at all possible.

• Keep them
double spaced on white paper with black ink. Most newspapers prefer a Word
document so they can edit as needed.

• Provide
contact information so that a reporter can contact you if they have more
questions

• Be sure to
identify when the press release can be printed (if you wish it to be held by
the media source for a week tell them!)

DO NOT:

• Use a release
to sell your product, announce a sale or advertise.

• Use coloured
paper or ink or fancy "stationery" in your email program.

• Hand write or
print with a poor quality printer that is fuzzy or unclear.

• Forget to
give your contact information.

• Make your
release longer than one to two pages at most.

• Try to write
a release if your writing skills are poor ­ hire someone to write it for you.

• Call the
media after you've sent the release to ask when it will run (they are too busy ­
and they will consider you a pest).

Who to Send the
Release To:

If the event
you are writing about affects only your local area send it to the local media,
but if it is something bigger (i.e.. your business has been nominated for a
national award) send the release to the media in the closest large major city,
as well as your local media. You may also send it to radio stations, television
stations and specialty magazines. (e.g. business, lifestyle, etc ­ depending on
what your press release is about).

There are also
many online free press release distribution sites you can use. Here are a few:

TOP LEFT CORNER
you want to let the news media know WHEN they can print the Release.

• You can put
"FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE" and this means they can print it anytime
after they receive it.

• You could put
a specific date if you want to hold the press release until a certain day. In
that case you would put "FOR RELEASE ON JUNE 10, 2013"

TITLE - you
need to create a title that will "grab" readers' attention

FIRST PARAGRAPH
Start with the City and Date. The first paragraph introduces the person and/or
situation to us and helps us see a "picture" of the situation. Give
three to four details about the situation, possibly even a quote from someone
involved.

SECOND
PARAGRAPH provides more depth and details, and usually a quote. This paragraph
helps build a word picture and allows the reader to be drawn into the story you
are creating.

THIRD PARAGRAPH
similar to paragraph two ­ more details and quotes. Pretend you don't know
anything about the business. Think of ways to ask questions that will answer
those questions.

FOURTH &/OR
FIFTH PARAGRAPH This paragraph (or two) should pull the story together. Refer
back to what was started in paragraph one so you can "tie up loose
ends" and create a conclusion.

~ end ~

In format
above, the word "end" shows the END of the story you are telling.

Wendy
McClelland is the owner of Simply Organic Marketing and has been an online marketing
professional for nearly 20 years. She is the first Certified Guerrilla
Marketing Coach in British Columbia, Canada. She has spoken to over 10,000
people throughout the US and Canada about marketing, business innovation and
internet business. Contact Wendy at http://www.simplyorganicmarketing.com. You can download Wendy's latest e-book "52 Tips to Grow Your Business" for FREE at by https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/204415 using the coupon code GQ59J